A/N: The next in the series following Dates to Remember. Set in the gap between the last episode of Season six, and the first episode of season seven (which isn't out yet :() Hope you enjoy. Read and Review.
A Road Less Travelled
25 July 2011
12:30pm
"Go Jack! You're doing great!" Chris cheered for the five year old, clapping her hands. Reid stood next to her, reading the ingredients for a packet of skittles that he was contemplating allowing Anna to have, and then had decided he'd rather have them himself.
The two year and seven month old child was currently ignoring everything around her anyway, reading a book on Inorganic Chemistry. A recent Intelligence test had revealed that like Reid, she was profoundly gifted, her IQ at a level of 175. Eva sat in her pushchair, eating carrot sticks. She was in her own world, blissfully unaware of the genius child sitting on the foot rest of her pram, or her fathers interest in Skittles, or her mothers supporting of her bosses child.
It had been Chris's idea for the entire team to come and support Jack's football game, and tehn have a picnic afterwards. Plus they had all wanted to see Hotch and Rossi coaching, secretly. Garcia had naturally bought her camera, and Kevin, while Morgan stood protectivly near the Reid family, and Garcia, keepign watch for any potential threat.
JJ and Will had bought Henry, until Will had been called away to deal with a case leaving JJ and Henry at the park. Hotch had Jack, and Rossi was making eyes at one of the divorced soccar moms, a sly kind of smile on his face. Hotch looked at him, shook his head, before went back to coaching.
"I can't believe that you managed to get Strauss to let you off work this week. How'd you do it?" JJ asked, and Chris chuckled, sitting on a chair that had been supplied by Hotch. Apparantly, taking care of pregnant woman was a big thing around the park.
"I told her that each team member was in need of some severe down-time unless she wanted to start budgeting for medical leave because of extreme stress," Chris stated and JJ shook her head, smirking. "She wasn't happy about it, but it worked."
"I bet she wasn't happy about it. A whole section shut down for a week? That's got to be a hell for her," JJ grinned and Chris looked at her deviously, before rubbing her stomach as the baby gave her a sharp kick.
"I swear, this little guy knows they are playing soccar. He's been using my bladder as ball for the last twenty minutes," Chris stated, and she stood from the seat uneasily. She swayed, and Reid instantly held out his hands to steady her, dropping bag of skittles to the ground. she smiled at him, and kissed his nose. "I'm fine, okay? Just need to use the toilet."
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked, and she stared at him, before shaking her head. The worried expression didn't leave his features, and she sighed, kissing his softly.
"I'll be right back, don't worry about it, okay? And put your sunglasses on. I don't want you suffering because of this light, understand?" she questioned. He pouted and then bobbed his head, slipping on his sunglasses as she began to walk in the direction of the public toilets. Reid followed her with his eyes, before looking down at Anna and Eva. Anna had set her book down and grabbed the skittles, opening them and started eating them happily.
"Hey-hey, you can't eat all of them, you have to share," Reid chastised, and she pouted, holding the back to her chest when he bent down to take them from her. However, her attention was caught by something behind him and she narrowed her eyes, pointing.
"Daddy, what's that?" she asked, and Reid frowned, looking over his shoulder at what she pointed at.
-SR-
Chris sighed as she left the toilet, running her hand through her hair and then looking own at her 38 weeks worth of pregnancy. "You're going to be a little bugger aren't you? Driving me up the wall and your not even born yet," she teased affectionately, and she felt a soft kick, almost in response. Chuckling, she she took a deep breath and then shaded her eyes with her hand, looking over at where the team was all gathered.
A tender smile fell onto her lips, and she relaxed, starting a slow waddle back to the group, only to pause when she saw something moving in the distance. Narrowing her eyes, she gasped, when she felt something collide with her shoulder. She swayed slightly, and looked down, sharp, burning pains shooting through her body. Red oozed from her shoulder, and her breath was suddenly torn from her body, as she felt her legs going weak.
Chris fell, her head making contact with the ground with an painful thud, yet it was barely noticeable as her entire body course with pain. A sound that was half-scream, half-grunt passed her lips and she began to shake, clutching her stomach tightly.
-SR-
Morgan looked around in time to see Chris hit the ground. His feet caused him to take of, covering the hundred or so metres in under five minutes as he ran to her. She breathed in sharply, not taking in any oxygen. Her legs moved in flails and she gripped the ground, dirt getting under her fingernails. She rose and crashed back to the ground, her body trembling all over.
"HELP! We need help over here!" he howled, getting attention from the rest of the team. Chris coughed, blood gathering at the corners of her mouth. Blood stained the white top she wore, hair fanning out around her head. Morgan ripped of his jacket, using it to put pressure on the wound and looked around helplessly. "HELP! She's been shot!"
JJ inhaled sharply, covering her mouth in horror. Reid's eyes widened and he tore through the crowding people. Garcia clasped her hands in fear, quickly moving to the Reid children and lifting Anna, hiding her face in her bright pink shirt. Reid fell to his knees, utter helplessness on his face as he stared at his wife, her body convulsing in tremor. He was going to be sick...
"No! Chris, don't do this! Please, stay with me, stay with me," he cried, grabbing her hand. Morgan looked at Reid, desperatly.
"Reid, we need to get an ambulance," he ordered him, and Reid rocked slightly, desperation in his eyes as they began to tear. "Reid! Get a goddam ambulance!" he roared, and he looked at him in surprise, before nodding rapidly, fishing in his pocket to find his phone, fumbling. It slipped from his fingers, hitting the ground and Reid sobbed. Thundering feet caused Morgan to look up.
Hotch and Rossi made their way over, Hotch on the phone and Rossi dropping down next to Morgan. Rossi checked her pulse, frowning. "We need an ambulance, immediately. A Federal Agent has been shot. We're at Quantico Municiple Park. Hurry," Hotch stated, and then he hung up. Reid shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. JJ crouched next to him, pulling him into her arms. Tears sliding down her own cheeks.
"It's going to be okay... She's going to be okay..." JJ whispered, terrified.
